A review of cold plasma for catalyst synthesis and modification

Abstract

Cold plasma has been extensively studied and developed in the field of energy storage and conversion, with a focus on its ability to assist in catalyst synthesis, surface modification, the introduction of heteroatoms, the generation of defects and vacancies, the improvement of catalyst dispersion, and the reduction of particle size. In contrast to conventional calcination and chemical methods, the energy from cold plasma can be transferred directly to the catalyst and carrier during the treatment process, which can improve the interaction between the loaded catalyst and carrier by changing the internal structure and surface morphology of the catalyst. Therefore, these properties make cold plasma quite green, safe, and efficient for catalyst synthesis and modification. In this paper, the characteristics and applications of various cold plasma technologies, as well as the synergistic treatment of cold plasma technology with thermodynamic principles on catalysts, are analyzed. Based on current research progress, this paper provides a summary and outlook on the synthesis and modification of catalysts using cold plasma.